Process for the preparation of cosmetics

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a cosmetic with a solid consistency and an excellent powdery marking effect, said process comprising extruding and drying a paste-type mixture and subsequent processing the solid product obtained

Technical field

This invention concerns a new process for the preparation of make-upcosmetics such as eye shadow, face powder and blusher.

In particular, the invention concerns a process for the preparation of acosmetic with a solid consistency and an excellent powdery markingeffect, said process comprising extruding and drying a paste-typemixture and subsequent processing the solid product obtained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Face and body make-up cosmetics such as blusher and eye shadow areknown. These products are normally produced in the form of pressed ornon-pressed powders.

Both these processes result in products that offer both advantages anddisadvantages, for example:

-   -   pressed powders have the advantage that they are easy to apply        but on the other hand after being used for some time they tend        to crumble, dirtying the container and the objects with which        they come into contact;    -   non-pressed powders require a certain amount of skill for their        application as they are designed for a more professional use but        the containers wherein they are packaged are provided with        fastenings that prevent the product leaking out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has now surprisingly been found that via a multi-phase process,comprising mixing, extruding and drying, make-up cosmetics can beobtained free from the problems of the conventional products and with asolid consistency so that they can be produced in different formats; theprocess also results in products that are easy to apply and at the sametime have a good powdery marking effect.

Thus, according to one of its aspects, the invention concerns a processfor the preparation of a cosmetic that comprises extruding a pasteobtained by mixing at least fats for cosmetic use, colouring powders andat least one solvent for cosmetic use, and subsequently drying theextruded product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment, the invention concerns a process for thepreparation of a cosmetic that comprises extruding of a paste obtainedby mixing an emulsion of fats for cosmetic use with colouring powdersand drying of the extruded product.

In further detail, the invention concerns a process for the preparationof a cosmetic that comprises:

-   a) preparing the two phases, herein called “colouring powders” and    “fatty emulsion”;-   b) mixing said phases;-   c) extruding the paste obtained;-   d) drying the extruded product;-   e) sizing the dried product if required.

The “fatty emulsion” according to this invention can be obtained bytreating fats for cosmetic use with at least one solvent, for examplewater or any solvent suitable for cosmetic use, including theirmixtures; the essential feature of the solvent used is that it ispossible to eliminate it by drying after extrusion at temperatures thatdo not alter the end product, advantageously at temperatures notexceeding 50° C.

The solvent can be neutral or coloured, in the latter case either due toits specific properties or by the addition of colouring substances.Water, being readily available and inexpensive, is the preferred solventfor this invention.

According to this invention, the expression “fats for cosmetic use”indicates any fatty material suitable for the preparation of cosmeticssuch as the esters of fatty acids, triglycerides, waxes, fruit and seedoil derivatives and extracts etc.

Fats for cosmetic use useful according to the invention are, forexample, sorbitan stearate, isopropyl stearate, caprylic/caprictriglycerides, dipentacrythrityl hexahydroxystearate/stearate rosinate(sold under the trademark Cosmol 168AR), magnesium myristate and oliveoil.

According to this invention, the expression “colouring powders”indicates any powder, or mixture of powders, containing colouringpigments suitable for cosmetic use.

Suitable colouring powders are, for example, those obtained by mixingsynthetic and/or natural pigments, matte or pearly, with inert powdersas diluents such as mica or talc, in varying quantities according to thepowdery effect and colouring power required.

The pearly and colouring substances that can be used include thefollowing, for example:

-   TiO2 (Cl 77891)+mica (Cl 77019)-   Bismuth oxychloride Cl 77163-   Mica Cl 77019-   Copper and bronze powder Cl 7740-   Iron oxide Cl 77491-2-9-   Ultramarine blue Cl 77007-   Manganese violet Cl 77742-   Chromium hydrate oxide Cl 77289-   Anhydrous chromium oxide Cl 77288-   Ferric ferrocyanide Cl 77510-   Titanium dioxide Cl 77891-   D&C red no. 7 Ca lake Cl 15850:1-   D&C red no. 19 Al lake Cl 45170:3-   D&C red no. 6 Ba lake Cl 15850:2-   D&C red no. 3 Al lake Cl 45430:1-   D&C red no. 9 Ba lake Cl 15585:1-   D&C red no. 21 Al lake Cl 45380:3-   D&C yellow no. 5 Al lake Cl 19140:1-   D&C red no. 30 Al lake Cl 73360-   D&C yellow no. 10 Al lake Cl 47005:1-   D&C red no. 27 Al lake Cl 45410:2-   D&C yellow no. 5 Al lake Cl 19140:1-   D&C orange 5 Cl 45370:1-   FD&C yellow no. 6 Al lake Cl 15985:1-   FD&C blue no. 1 Al lake Cl 42090:2-   D&C red 36 Cl 12085-   Carmine Cl 75470

It is evident that the paste to be extruded can be obtained either bymixing each individual component, one after the other, in a mixer forexample, or by first preparing the two “fatty emulsion” and “colouringpowders” phases and then mixing them.

The quantity of individual components can vary within a wide rangeaccording to the type of product required.

The “fatty emulsion” and “colouring powders” phases are preferably mixedin equal quantities, i.e. 50-50% by weight.

Extruding process of this invention can be performed by passing thepaste (neutral or coloured) obtained in phase (b) through a normalextruder (or drawing machine) to obtain a semi-solid product, stilldamp, of the required shape.

The extruders useful in the process of the invention are, for example,piston or screw extruders. The product comes out of the extruder indifferent shapes according to the dies used (for example cylinder,parallelepiped etc.) and is cut to the required length.

The drying phase of the process of the invention can be performedaccording to the conventional techniques, for example:

-   -   in an oven    -   under vacuum, or    -   with fluidised bed        provided that said process creates conditions that ensure the        evaporation of almost all the solvent used for preparation of        the paste to be extruded, whatever it is. Obviously lower        temperatures require longer drying times whereas at higher        temperatures drying times will be shorter. The drying (or        baking) will be preferably performed at low temperatures in        order to permit slow elimination of the solvent from the paste        and to obtain a well-pressed and uniform end product, without        altering the end product.

Advantageously, the drying is performed in an oven at temperatures of35-55° C., around 40° C. for example, until almost complete evaporationof the solvent, for example until the residual humidity is below orequal to 5%.

According to a preferred embodiment, the invention concerns a processfor the preparation of a cosmetic comprising:

-   -   preparation of a paste in a mixer by mixing an emulsion of fats        for cosmetic use with colouring powders;    -   extrusion of the paste formed as above by means of an extruder        or drawing machine according to various shapes and sizes;    -   drying of the extruded products in an oven at a temperature of        between 35 and 55° C. until a residual humidity lower than or        equal to 5% is obtained;    -   if required or necessary, further processing of the dried        product to give it the appropriate shape and size.

The machines and processing techniques individually used in the processof the invention are known to the skilled in the art.

Other components, inert or non-inert, can be added to the colouringpowders and fatty emulsion phases of the invention or directly to thepaste to be extruded. As an example, additives can be added, as solidand liquid preserving agents, such as sodium benzoate, thickeners suchas starch and its derivatives, diluents, gelling agents and adhesives,in order to make the paste obtained by mixture of the two phasessuitable for extrusion, various inert powders, fragrances if required,etc. Said additives and their properties and uses in the field ofcosmetics are well known to the skilled in the art.

Examples of additives are given in the experimental palt.

The colouring powders are generally prepared by mixing the requiredpigments with inert components such as talc, silica and mica. Accordingto a preferred embodiment, parabenes and sodium dehydroacetate are addedto the mixture to preserve the entire product during all the processingphases.

These components are advantageously ground for a few minutes to obtain auniform powder.

The emulsion and the colouring powders prepared as above are thenprocessed in a mixer and subsequently transferred to an extruder, wherethe dies give them the required shapes. At the extruder outlet, theproduct is placed preferably on sheets of inert material, wherein“inert” means that it does not react with the product, for example PVC,steel or similar.

Extrusion is followed by drying, preferably in an oven, normally at atemperature of around 40-50° C. for a time that depends on theevaporation speed, generally a few days.

Once drying has been completed, the product can be visually checked toidentify any defects and hardness can be checked by means of adynamometer.

The cosmetics prepared in this way can be further processed if necessaryin order to reduce their dimensions or modify their shape, for example.These further operations can be performed manually or by means ofappropriate machine tools.

The process of the invention therefore permits the production ofcosmetics for decorative or curative make-up with the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   optimal consistency permitting direct application    -   excellent marking effect and, at the same time,    -   a creamy finish even though the products are powder-based.

The products obtained by means of the process of the invention thereforerepresent a valid alternative to the conventional products such as inpressed or non-pressed powders and creamy type products.

The following examples are provided for the purpose of illustrating theinvention without limiting it in any way. It is understood thattechnically equivalent alternatives within the capacity of the skilledin the art, even if not explicitly mentioned, fall within the protectionof the invention. As an example, the order of preparation and mixing ofthe ingredients in the process can be arbitrarily modified, obtainingproducts with the same characteristics.

EXAMPLE 1 General Operating Method

Appropriately clean and sanitise all the machinery required for the workprocess.

Preparation of the Fatty Emulsion

Weigh the water in an emulsifier; add the selected preservative and mixuntil fully dispersed. Add any thickeners and the mixture of liquidpreservatives and disperse by means of a homogeniser. Weigh and dissolvethe fatty mass (stearates, triglycerides) at approximately 60° C., addit to the previously prepared mixture and homogenise. Add the gellingagent and process for a few minutes. Check the viscosity and pour intoclean drums.

Preparation of the Colouring Powders

Weigh the inert components, binders and any preservatives (talc,parabenes etc.) and grind for a few minutes. Weigh and add the rawmaterials making up the required colour and grind until obtaining auniform mixture.

Preparation of the Paste to Be Extruded and Drying

Mix the fatty emulsion and colouring powders for approximately 10minutes in a mixer. Empty into clean bags and extrude in the drawingmachine. Bake the extruded product for 3 days at approximately 50° C.

EXAMPLE 2 Qualitative-Quantitative Composition of a Typical Paste beforeExtrusion

Water 39.40%  Fats for cosmetic use (mixture of isopropyl stearate,6.00% di-C12-13 alkyl malate, Cosmol 168AR) Pigments in admixture withmica 38.4% Xanthan gum 0.05% Preservatives (mixture of sorbic acid andparabenes)  1.1% Inert components (mixture of zea mays, nylon powder,talc) 14.55%  Fragrance  0.5%

1. Process for the preparation of a cosmetic which comprises extruding apaste obtained by mixing at least fats for cosmetic use, colouringpowders and at least one solvent for cosmetic use, and subsequentlydrying the extruded product.
 2. Process according to claim 1, whereinsaid paste is obtained by mixing at least one fatty emulsion in asolvent for cosmetic use, with colouring powders.
 3. Process accordingto claim 1, wherein said fats are chosen from fatty acids,triglycerides, waxes, and fruit and seed oil derivatives and extracts.4. Process according to claim 3, wherein said fats are chosen fromsorbitan stearate, isopropyl stearate, caprylic/capric triglycerides,dipentacrythrityl hexahydroxystearate/stearate rosinate (Cosmol 168AR),magnesium mysristate and olive oil.
 5. Process according to claim 1,wherein said solvent for cosmetic use is water.
 6. Process according toclaim 2, wherein said emulsion furthermore comprises one or more solidor liquid additives chosen from preserving agents, thickeners,adhesives, diluents and gelling agents.
 7. Process according to claim 1,wherein said colouring powders comprise synthetic and/or naturalpigments, matte or pearly, with inert powders as diluents.
 8. Processaccording to claim 1, wherein drying is performed at temperaturesbetween 35 and 55° C.
 9. Process according to claim 1, wherein the driedproduct is further processed in order to modify its dimensions and/orshape.
 10. Process according to claim 1 that comprises: preparing thetwo phases called “colouring powders” and “fatty emulsion”; mixing saidtwo phases; extruding the paste obtained as above; drying the extrudedproduct; sizing the dried product, if required.
 11. Process according toclaim 10 wherein phase (c) is performed with an extruder or a drawingmachine according to various shapes and sizes.
 12. Process according toclaim 10 wherein the fatty emulsion and colouring powders phases aremixed in a proportion of approximately 50-50% by weight.
 13. Processaccording to claim 10 wherein phase (d) is performed in an oven, undervacuum or with fluidised bed.
 14. Process according to claim 10 whereinphase (d) is performed in an oven at a temperature between 35 and 55°C., until obtaining a residual humidity below or equal to 5%. 15.Cosmetic suitable to be obtained via the process of claim
 1. 16.Cosmetic of claim 15 which is an eye shadow or blusher.
 17. Use of theproduct suitable to be obtained via the process of claim 1 as acosmetic.